Over the past two weeks, Milwaukee had missed three potential game-winners at the buzzer.

Per the Journal Sentinel:

Bucks players spilled across the court to bury Middleton under a pile as Milwaukee (35-36) snapped a six-game losing skid and moved 2½ games ahead of Miami in a tight Eastern Conference playoff chase. [...] “I knew it was ticking down,” said Middleton, who sank his second three-point buzzer beater of the season. “I knew I had to catch and shoot. I can’t think about anything else but just catch and let it go.”

Middleton missed a three-point try, but Ersan Ilyasova rebounded and was fouled, and he made 1 of 2 free throws. When Ilyasova missed the second shot, Bucks guard Jerryd Bayless alertly tied up Heat forward Michael Beasley for a jump ball. [...] Then the 6-foot-3 Bayless outjumped the 6-9 Beasley to win the ball with 10.8 seconds left, giving the Bucks another chance. Bayless missed on a drive, but Pachulia was able to get the ball to Middleton just in time for the game-winner.

“I’ve got bounce, man,” Bayless said with a wide smile. “No, I was just able to get it. I tried to time the ref. I got lucky. I missed the layup but Za made a great play to Khris, and Khris knocked it down. I just figured it was time for us to win somehow, and we were able to do it. I’m just excited we won.”

The Raptors trailed by double digits but made it a game again midway through the fourth quarter. DeMar DeRozan (22 points, 10 rebounds) hit a jumper with under six minutes left to give his team a 91-90 lead. However, Detroit would escape down the stretch thanks to big plays from Jackson and Tayshaun Prince. Down by 2, Lou Williams (19 points) missed a contested 3-ball that would have won it with 1.6 seconds left. Kyle Lowry left the game in the second quarter with back spasms and wouldn’t return. The Pistons got the win despite T. Dot fans outnumbering Detroit fans at the Palace.

Bucks (35-36) 89, Heat (32-38) 88

We’re mid-NCAA Tournament action, but that doesn’t mean the madness can’t extend to the pro game. If you were watching last night’s Bucks-Heat matchup, you know exactly what I mean.

Jerryd Bayless (6-foot-3) won a jump-ball against Michael Beasley (6-foot-9) with 10.8 seconds remaining in the game. Bayless then drove the lane and missed a layup, but the loose ball found its way into the hands of a falling-out-of-bounds Zaza Pachulia, who passed it to Khris Middleton for a miraculous game-winning 3-ball at the buzzer. Easily one of the crazier finishes of the season.

The Bucks overcame a huge deficit and finished the game on an 18-3 run. Ersan Ilyasova (19 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks), The Greek Freak (16 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks) and Pachulia (14 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals) were key factors in the comeback. Miami took a big blow when it lost Hassan Whiteside in the second quarter due to a cut on his right hand that required 10 stitches. Dwyane Wade dropped 21 points and nabbed 3 steals, while Goran Dragic went for 16 points and 6 dimes.

Kanter had a double-double in the first quarter, and the Thunder put up 68 points by halftime. Jordan Clarkson (30 points, 7 dimes, 3 blocked shots) and Jeremy Lin (19 points, 7 assists) did their best to keep it close, but Russ & co. were too much to handle, and the Lakers lost their 10th game in 12 outings.

DJ Augustin and Westbrook linked up for one of the dirtiest oops of the year:

Mavericks (45-27) 101, Spurs (44-26) 94

Monta Ellis poured in 38 points — matching his season high — and the Mavs took care of the defending champs on their home floor. Dallas is now teetering on the edge of the sixth spot in the West.

Ellis had been torching the Spurs this season; he’s now averaging 34 points in three games against San Antonio. Tuesday night’s performance was especially important coming off an awful 4-22 shooting night Sunday in a loss to Phoenix. Chandler Parsons (15 points, 6 boards, 2 steals) and Dirk Nowitzki (15 points, 13 rebounds) were key contributors, as well. Dirk surpassed 10,000 rebounds in his career. Manu Ginobili returned to the floor after missing four games with a sprained ankle. He played 16 minutes and put up 7 points in the loss.

Kings (25-45) 107, Sixers (17-54) 106

Rocking the throwback Rochester jersey, DeMarcus Cousins was a man on a mission who finished up with 33 points, 17 rebounds, 4 steals and 4 blocks. Not bad all in a night’s work.

Aside from the sensational statline, Boogie also made the game’s most important play. Cousins poked the ball away from a driving Hollis Thompson on Philly’s final possession. Ray McCallum scooped it up and dribbled out the remaining seconds. Rudy Gay put up 21 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. Nerlens Noel was a bright spot in the loss; the young’n dropped 14 points to go with 10 boards and 6 blocks. The Sixers have now lost 16 straight games on the road.

Boogie showed off his passing skills:

And Robert Covington put his elder, Andre Miller, on a poster:

Warriors (58-13) 122, Trail Blazers (44-25) 108

Steph Curry isn’t bad at basketball.

And neither are the rest of the Golden State Warriors. The baby-faced assassin was sensational Tuesday night, going for 33 points and 10 assists including some plays that’ll end up on the end-of-year highlight reel. Andre Iguodala dropped 21 points, Klay Thompson added 16 and Draymond Green posted 14 points, 11 boards, 8 dimes and 3 blocks. The Dubs shot 60 percent (50-83) from the field. Holy crap.

Oh yeah, and Golden State clinched its first division title since 1976. Damian Lillard put up 29/7/5 and CJ McCollum had 23 points and 3 steals, but the Warriors would not be denied. How far do you see this team going?

A compilation of the best images from the past seven days. Relive all the action from this week with the NBA photos above—featuring a sweet pass from Wayne Ellington, headband-less LeBron, high-flying Anthony Davis, FIFTY-SEVEN points from Kyrie Irving against the defending NBA Champs, and more.

After back-to-back layups from Jeff Green (20 points) midway through the second quarter, the Pelicans were facing an 18-point deficit against one of the best teams in the League. On top of this, with the Grizzlies’ stout defense, they rarely give up big leads down the stretch. But coming out of halftime still behind by double-digits, Tyreke Evans (26 points, 7 assists, 3 steals) and Anthony Davis (23 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks) took their games to another gear and poured in on. These two quickly scored 13 of New Orlean’s first 16 points to start the second half and cut the deficit all the way down to one point. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, had three turnovers and three shots blocked by Davis during the same span. The Pelicans ramped up both their offense and defense coming out of the locker room. New Orleans would take the lead in the third quarter and sustain it the rest of the way.

Cavaliers 89 (40-25), Suns 79 (33-31)

LeBron James (17 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds) set another Cavaliers milestone while moving his team up in the standings yet again. With eight assists on the night, the King is now tied with Mark Price (4,206) for most assists in Cleveland history. It is fascinating to realize a player of LeBron’s size has been able to play with such vision and playmaking throughout his entire career. He got plenty of help from his big men as Timofey Mozgov (19 points, 4 rebounds), Kevin Love (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Tristan Thompson (15 points, 8 offensive rebounds) all played a part in Cleveland dominating the paint against an undersized Phoenix team. The Cavaliers outscored the Suns in the paint 40-24 while also pushing the tempo in having an 11-0 advantage in fast break points. If Eric Bledsoe (7 points, 9 assists, 3-12 from the field) and Brandon Knight (10 points, 5 assists, 4-12 from the field) can’t even get fast break points for their Suns, there is no way they will be able to compete against top competition in the NBA—which is why Phoenix trailed by 32 before garbage time made the game look more respectable. The Cavs have now moved past Toronto for the three seed in the East while the floundering Suns have gone 5-11 in their last 16 games and are a full two games back of the Thunder for the eight seed.

Heat 114 (28-34), Kings 109 (21-40) OT

Even without Hassan Whiteside, the Heat pulled out the close overtime victory after coming back from 16 points. This comes a night after almost completing the 35-point comeback against the Wizards. But Saturday night, guards Dwyane Wade (28 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds) and Tyler Johnson (24 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds) teamed up to score almost half of the team’s point as they both made big shot after big shot. Before overtime, though, in the final minute of regulation, DeMarcus Cousins (27 points, 17 rebounds) made two free throws and Andre Miller (7 points, 8 assists) converted a tough layup to turn a four-point deficit into five extra minutes of basketball. Wade and Johnson then went on to score 15 of the team’s 18 points in overtime, coming in the form of layups, 3-pointers and layups. With how up-and-down the Heat’s season has been with plenty of injuries, guys that wouldn’t normally get many minutes—like Johnson—have stepped up in major ways to help keep the team in playoff contention. The Kings got big performances from Cousins (including some powerful dunks), Rudy Gay (27 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists) and Ben McLemore (20 points, 3-8 on 3-pointers). However, they didn’t anyone else playing very well and Gay didn’t play well in overtime to add to the struggles. Furthermore, Cousins picked up his sixth foul with 1:41 when the Kings actually held a one-point lead. Even though Miami was outrebounded 46-34, they kept its turnovers low (13) compared to Sacramento (20).

Pacers 92 (28-34), Knicks 86 (12-49)

The Pacers pulled off their fifth win in a row thanks to a balanced attack offensively and yet another strong team defensive performance. It didn’t come easy, though, as the offense really struggled through three quarters. Behind 17 points through three quarters for Andrea Bargnani (21 points, 5 rebounds, 10-14 from the field), the Knicks actually led 63-60 going into the fourth quarter. David West (14 points, 11 rebounds), George Hill (15 points, 5 rebounds) and Rodney Stuckey (17 points, 4 assists) were the only Indiana players in double figures and it looked like New York had a chance of pulling off the upset. However, the Pacers scored more than half of what they did through three quarters by posting 32 points in the final quarter and picking up the ugly win. During this current win streak, Indiana is allowing opponents to score only 82.4 ppg. That is the type of defense that pushed the Pacers to two straight Eastern Conference Finals. Watch out, East, Paul George is almost back…

76ers 92 (14-49), Hawks 84 (49-13)

After an exhausting win against the Cleveland Cavaliers, it seemed reasonable for the Hawks to rest starters Paul Millsap, DeMarre Carroll and Kyle Korver against the bottom-feeding Sixers. Hollis Thompson (19 points, 9 rebounds) and Nerlens Noel (11 points, 17 rebounds, 5 steals) had other plans as their feisty, scrappy Philly team pulled off a huge win against the top team in the East and snapped their opponent’s six-game winning streak. Not only did they pull off the upset, they also came back from 16 down agaist a team that doesn’t usually let team back into games. Philly has shown glimpses this season of what the future of the team could be as this team consistently fights for a full 48 minutes no matter the opponent. Noel is growing game by game and starting the exemplify what his team represents in their grittiness. The Sixers allowed the Hawks to only score 31 points through the final two quarters while shooting 27.5 percent from the field. It was even worse in the third when the Sixers outscored the Hawks 25-16 with Philly shooting 5-22 (22.7 percent) from the field. Al Horford (12 points, 3 blocks) was finding his touch in the first half but then went scoreless in the second. Jeff Teague (17 points, 2 steals) and Dennis Schroder (16 points, 6 assists) had as many combined assists (10) as they did turnovers on the night. Atlanta will have to try and pick up its 50th win again on Monday against the Kings while the Sixers get a long break and don’t play until Wednesday versus the Bulls.

Timberwolves 121 (14-47), Blazers 113 (41-20)

And just like that, it has become extremely apparent just how much this Portland team will miss having Wes Matthews. Beyond what he brings to the court on both ends of the floor as one of the best two-way guards in the League, it can’t be forgotten that Matthews brought stability to Portland’s starting lineup. This was the same starting lineup from a year ago as these five players had built up some of the best chemistry in the entire NBA. Aron Afflalo (14 points, 3-5 on 3-pointers) is certainly serviceable in place of Matthews, but as Saturday showed, he lacks some of vital skills Matthews brings to the team. The Blazers still had clutch shots made from Damian Lillard (32 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds) and LaMarcus Aldridge (21 points, 8 rebounds) down the stretch as Lillard made two layups, two dunks and a 3-pointer in the final minute—which were all of the Blazers’ points. However, Ricky Rubio (13 points, 15 assists, 8 rebounds) Kevin Martin (29 points, 6 rebounds) and Gary Neal (27 points, 8-11 from the field) sunk 10-10 free throws to counteract every one of Lillard’s baskets and gave their sell-out crowd a big win to cheer for. Martin and Neal both really took advantage all night of the lack of strong perimeter defense while Rubio had no problem distributing the ball. The Wolves shot 54.1 percent from the field and went 25-31 (80.6 percent) from the free throw line. The Blazers will attempt to get back on track against the Rockets on Wednesday.

Bucks 91 (33-29), Wizards 85 (35-28)

The Bucks built up a 17-point lead and picked up a huge win against the team directly above them in the standings. The win came in large part to Khris Middleton (career-high 30 points, 9 rebounds, 6-9 on 3-pointers) putting on the best scoring performance of his young career and capping it off with a vital trey from the corner with 40.8 seconds to go that turned a tie game into a three-point lead. Michael Carter-Williams (12 points, 9 assists) had a decent game, playing under control and finding his teammates right after the tipoff. The long point guard started the game assisting on his team’s first six baskets as they built an early 16-6 lead. The Wizards had five players in double figures led by Paul Pierce (14 points, 8 rebounds, 4-15 from the field), but he had more field goal attempts than actual points. With John Wall (11 points, 6 assists, 9 rebounds, 2 steals) only shooting 3-14 on the night and lacking the playmaking ability that pushed his Wiz to such early success this year, his team looked out of sorts down the stretch. After taking a 83-82 lead on a Wall layup with 1:53 to go, the Wizards only scored two more points on 1-2 shooting from the free throw line. If it wasn’t for the four-game losing streak the Bucks just snapped Saturday night, they would be even closer than 1 1/2 games back of the Wizards for the five seed.

Rockets 114 (43-20), Nuggets 100 (22-41)

James Harden (28 points, 7 assists, 2 steals, 10-11 on free throws) remained Houston’s backbone to its offense Saturday night while Corey Brewer (24 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals) came through with a huge boost off the bench. The Rockets won in Denver after dropping their last three straight on the road and did so despite coughing it up 22 times. Trevor Ariza (19 points, 3-6 on 3-pointers) and Donatas Motiejunas (18 points, 6 rebounds) also had big games, as Denver really showed no fight on the defensive end of the floor. Harden got into the paint at will and the Rockets as a team scored 63 points during the second and third quarter during which they turned an early three-point deficit into a 15-point lead. Wilson Chandler (26 points, 5 rebounds, 4-5 on 3-pointers) and Randy Foye (20 points, 7 assists) both reached the 20-point plateau and shot a combined 18-26 (69.2 percent) from the field. However, the problem came on the defensive end of the court as has been the case for the Nuggets all season, no matter the head coach.

Opening with a big lead was a recurring trend in multiple games on Monday night in the NBA. Having lost two in a row on the road, the Cavs were back at home in Cleveland yesterday when they hosted the Charlotte Hornets. LeBron James (27 points, 13 assists, 7 rebounds) and the Cavs tipped off the match-up with a 21-0 lead, stifling their guests. Kemba Walker (24 points and 5 assists) led the Hornets’ rally in the second and early third quarters to remain in the game. But the team in Wine and Gold went on another run, 21-9, before the third quarter ended to carry a 12-point lead into the fourth. Kevin Love (22 points, 18 rebounds, 4 steals), LeBron, and #TheLand held on to win it 97-88.

Pacers 110 (8-17), Lakers 91 (8-17)

Unlike Sunday’s game in which Kobe Bryant passed Michael Jordan to become third on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, last night’s Laker loss in Indiana wasn’t filled with any glory. The Lakers had an U-G-L-Y first half. They shot 3-20 in the first quarter and 4-23 in the second—just 16 percent at the midway mark in the game. Trailing 60-27 heading into the third, L.A. tried to get some baskets to go. They did—good enough for 64 second half points, but the deficit Rodney Stuckey (20 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists) and the Pacers built was far too much for the Lakers to handle.

Celtics 105 (8-14), Sixers 87 (2-22)

‘Twas all about Celtic sophomore Kelly Olynyk in Boston’s blowout victory over the 76ers last night. The 23-year-old scored a career-high 30 points off the bench to end his team’s three-game losing streak and hand Philly their fourth consecutive loss. The Sixers’ rookie Nerlens Noel (19 points, 8 rebounds) had a career high of his own, but with Olynyk’s performance and 25 fast break points compared to the home team’s 1, the visiting Celtics proved they had the upper hand in this one.

Hawks 93 (17-7), Bulls 86 (15-9)

The Atlanta Hawks’ Twitter emoji game is quite strong—they have a “Korver Kounter.”

Much respect to the person behind that account because as I’m sure I made clear before…I love a good tweet. And well, much respect to the Hawks too because they silenced their critics (temporarily at least—some people don’t give up) by getting a solid victory over a squad with a winning record. The two teams fought a close battle when the Bulls came to town last night (the biggest lead was 10 points). But come time to secure a W, Al Horford (21 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists) hit a jumper off an assist from Kyle Korver (12 points and 4 assists) with 57.7 remaining to put the Hawks up by 5. Pau Gasol (13 points and 12 rebounds) cut the gap to 3 after tipping in his own miss, but it became a matter of knocking down FTs after that—which the Hawks did to earn their third win in a row.

Raptors 95 (19-6), Magic 82 (10-17)

It was a quarter by quarter battle last night in the Air Canada Centre. The first period was a normal one, with Kyle Lowry dishing out 3 assists and scoring 5 points, you know—doing his thing for the Raps as usual. In the second, the Raptors didn’t score for the final 6:52 of the period, which allowed the Magic to outscore ‘em 27-16 despite Evan Fournier (11 points) needing to get facial stitches due to an elbow under the basket. The tables then turned in the third, with Lowry once again taking over. He finished with 17 points, 8 assists and 5 boards. The Raps held Tobias Harris (18 points, 6 rebounds) and the Magic to only 13 points in the third as they themselves cruised to 27. They pulled away in the fourth quarter for the W and had this fun moment for their post-game interview:

Bucks 96 (13-12), Suns 94 (12-14)

Is it bad luck? Deja vu? Whatever you call it, this buzzer-beating, game-winning 3-pointer that got the fortuitous bounce defeated the Suns not once—but twice. It was Blake Griffin last Monday, and yesterday night, credit goes to Khris Middleton (14 points).

Ouch, that’s gotta hurt. Both teams knocked down six straight shots in the final 41 seconds of the game, but the one you see above sealed the win for the young Bucks. The Suns—who lost their sixth straight—played without Goran Dragic, and the Bucks lost Jabari Parker to a knee injury early in the third quarter. The Bucks’ bench did work last night, scoring a total of 50 points to complement Brandon Knight’s 20. Milwaukee outscored the Suns in the paint 50-23 and overcame the 14-point lead Markieff Morris (25 points) and Co. built in the second quarter for a W that brought them over the .500 hump once again. I’ll leave off with whatever the heck you want to call this:

Blazers 108 (19-6), Spurs 95 (17-8)

The Portland Trail Blazers recognized LaMarcus Aldridge prior to the game last night for moving into second place all-time on the team’s scoring list. Once the game commenced, LA showed no signs of slowing down as he finished with 23 points and 14 rebounds on the night—including a near-perfect third quarter, in which he shot 7-9 from the field. He got help from his star teammate, Damian Lillard, who also scored 23, snagged a career-high 10 rebounds and handed out 6 assists.

The Blazers put down the short-handed Spurs, who played without Tim Duncan (rest) as well as Manu Ginobili, Patty Mills, Tony Parker and Tiago Splitter all because of injuries. Portland added Robin Lopez to their own injury list, who suffered a broken hand while going up for a board in the third quarter.

Clippers 113 (17-7), Pistons 91 (5-20)

In a dominating win at home, all the Clips shared the glory as Coach Doc played 13 of his guys. Already up 11 at the half, Blake Griffin and the Clippers went on a 23-9 run to start the third quarter. Griffin finished with 18 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists, including this dish to DeAndre Jordan (16 points and 15 rebounds) for the slam:

Six of Los Angeles’ players put up double-figures last night to help get their team back to their winning ways after dropping two straight. The exact opposite is true for the Pistons, who went back to their losing ways after winning two straight.

Last night, Kevin Durant debuted the Nike KD VI in black, orange and red; LeBron James laced up PEs of both the Nike LeBron XI and Nike Zoom Soldier VII; and D-Wade came correct with the Li-Ning Way of Wade 2 “Year of the Horse”. We collected photos of that heat and more in our gallery of the best sneakers from around the League. Which player’s shoe game did you like the most from last night?

Though he doesn’t yet want to say too much about his move from Milwaukee to Detroit, point guard Brandon Jennings admits that he’s pleased with the change of scenery. Per the Toronto Sun: “The Compton, Cal. native was in (Toronto) at the behest of good friend and fellow L.A. NBAer Amir Johnson, of the Raptors for the OVO Bounce Tournament at Ryerson’s Kerr Hall. Jennings declined to say much, saying he wants to ‘stay under the radar for now,’ but did admit ‘I’m happy’ about the trade. Jennings was a restricted free agent. The OVO Bounce Tournament is an annual event held in conjunction with Drake’s OVO Fest. It pairs OVO with Toronto AAU Powerhouse CIA Bounce, the former summer squad of Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, Tyler Ennis, Xavier Rathan-Mayes and many more. Jennings and Johnson played on one pickup squad, former Marquette point guard and Canadian camp invitee Junior Cadougan on another and Cory and Devoe Joseph also were in the building. Up-and-comers like Montaque Gill-Caesar, Chris Egi and Thon Maker, a 7-foot-1 centre about to enter just his second year of high school, also competed and more significant players were expected to show up over the course of the week.”

The Detroit Pistons have signed 2012 second-round pick Khris Middleton to a contract. Middleton, a 6-7 forward who played three seasons at Texas A&M, averaged 11.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists in during his college career. Via CBSDetroit.com: “Terms of the contract were not disclosed. The forward posted averages of 13.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists last season for the Aggies as a junior, scoring 16.1 points per game over the season’s final seven games. The Charleston, South Carolina native who is known as a creative scorer that excels in the mid-range game shot 36.1% from three-point range (39-108 3FG) during the 2010-11 season and 32.1% (92-287 3FG) for his collegiate career.”

With Ed Issaacson doing an outstanding job of letting all of us know about the obstacles that Khris Middleton overcame with this dope piece, it was only fitting that we brought you some video of Middleton putting in work with John Lucas before the Draft. Training alongside wings such as Will Barton, Quincy Miller, Anthony Jones, and more, the Texas A&M product stood out with his ability to shoot the ball from deep and create his own shot, something we didn’t see quite as much this past season for the Aggies. Considered a surprise by some to enter the Draft after his junior year, Middleton has done a great job shooting up the boards and has now firmly getting first round consideration. Watch the workout above and you’ll see why. —Rodger Bohn

If you’re anything less than a Texas A&M alum or an obsessive college basketball fan, you probably haven’t heard of Middleton. Despite averaging 24 wins over the past seven seasons, the Aggies don’t get much national attention. And despite entering his junior year as an All-American candidate on a preseason top-20 team, Middleton doesn’t get much national attention, either.

For the record: He knows you probably don’t know him. He’s not entirely sure why. And no, he doesn’t really care.

“I can’t really tell you,” he says in late October, two weeks before the Aggies open a season in which Big 12 coaches picked them as co-favorites (with Kansas) for the league title. “Some people come up with the hype behind them from high school or the AAU circuit. I didn’t. But it’s not something I’m real concerned about.”

On a high school scene increasingly dominated by a handful of high-profile prep powers, Middleton was never going to stand out. The Charleston, SC, native attended nearby Porter-Gaud, a small, academic-focused prep school whose most famous alumnus is fake news pundit Stephen Colbert. Middleton averaged 22 ppg as a senior and led PG to the state title game, finishing his prep career as a low top-100 prospect in the Class of ’09. “Our league wasn’t that good,” he says, “but when I played AAU, I played against the top players in the nation, and I felt like I proved myself.”

Even in a high school class light on elite small forward prospects, Middleton lacked buzz, and good-but-not-elite programs like Michigan, St. Joe’s, South Carolina and Texas A&M were his primary suitors. He ultimately signed with then-coach Mark Turgeon and headed to College Station. Middleton averaged a respectable 7.2 ppg as a freshman, but those who were paying attention might’ve noticed how much better he got as the season went on. Starting 20 of the Aggies’ final 22 games in ’09-10, Middleton averaged 15.5 ppg in the Big 12 Tourney, then posted a career-high 19 in the NCAA Tournament opener.

As a soph last season, he started every game and went for 14.4 points, 5.2 boards and 2.8 dimes per. Based largely on his versatile scoring ability, he came into the ’11-12 season as a Wooden Award candidate and first-team all-Big 12 pick. Middleton has a new hurdle in the right knee he hurt in the Aggies’ season opener, but by the time you read this, he should be back in action, and by the end of the season, an improving handle and better defensive skills may well confirm the hunch of scouts who have him slated as a possible Lotto pick.

His play alone won’t be the only reason you might soon be hearing more about Middleton. A&M is in its last season of Big 12 play before the school’s jump to the SEC, and rival fans in Waco, Stillwater and especially Austin are going to let them hear about it. There’s also the absence of new coach Billy Kennedy, who was hired in May when Turgeon left for Maryland, then took a leave of absence in October after discovering he was suffering from the early stages of Parkinson’s disease. (Turgeon is back now, but associate head coach Glynn Cyprien is handling some of Kennedy’s duties.) It’s a lot of drama for one college team to handle, especially given the high expectations for this squad. Middleton says he’s not worried.

“This being our last year in the Big 12, we’re just trying to go out with a bang,” he says. “And even if Coach is out sometimes, we feel like we’ll be fine regardless. Coach Cyprien stepped in right away, and he’s just pushing us to get better.”

Presumably, Cyprien spoke for Kennedy and everyone in Aggie Nation at Big 12 preseason media day when he told reporters, “We’re expecting big things from Khris. I think he understands that, and he’s really worked hard up to this point.”

If he keeps working, the kid who grew up idolizing Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant might have a chance to follow them to the NBA. If anything, though, Middleton’s story reminds us a bit of Danny Granger’s, another lightly regarded small forward from a low-profile Southern high school. Both played at under-the-radar college programs. Both were decent as freshmen and terrific as sophomores. Granger? He was nothing less than one of the nation’s best players as a junior and senior. And you know what he’s doing now.

And Khris Middleton? Hey, we’re not making any predictions. Just saying you might want to keep an eye on this dude. You don’t want to be the last one paying attention.

We’ve already used SLAM 153 to tell you about the Dream Team at UNC and the top freshmen in the land, but there’s still a lot of great college players we have yet to mention. Here’s a Sweet 16’s worth of talented future pros.

William Buford
6-5, SG, Senior, Ohio State
Even the most skilled players can be overlooked in a program as stacked as Ohio State’s. Senior guard Buford arrived in Columbus the same year as former All-American and current Sixers’ forward Evan Turner. When it appeared the explosive leaper and knockdown shooter was poised to step out of his classmate’s shadow, he unselfishly took a backseat to freshmen phenoms Jared Sullinger and Aaron Craft and crafty veterans Jon Diebler and David Lighty. Buford has been nothing but solid in his first three seasons, but he should emerge as a star this season as the Buckeyes’ main perimeter scoring threat.

Tim Hardaway Jr
6-5, PG, Sophomore, Michigan
Taller than his old man but with the same unmistakable crossover, Hardaway Jr is well on his way to becoming the most significant Michigan basketball product since a certain fivesome of the Fab-ulous variety. He possesses a natural ability to break down defenses by getting paint touches at will. Last season, Hardaway’s assist average of 1.7 per contest was lower than a point guard’s should be, but without former Wolverine guard and current Laker Darius Morris, the ball will be in Jr’s hands more this season. Large point guards are clearly trending in the NBA, so Hardaway’s size is a definite plus.

Dario Hunt
6-8, PF, Senior, Nevada
If you’re looking for NBA-level talent in a mid-major program, Reno is a great place to start. Nevada, the school that produced recent pros like Ramon Sessions, Kirk Snyder, Nick Fazekas and JaVale McGee, might do it again. Wolfpack senior forward Dario Hunt emerged from nowhere to average close to a double double (12.5 points and 9.7 rebounds per game) as a junior. Even as a sophomore, Hunt recorded 7 boards a night, so the veteran’s energy and hustle were always plus skills. If Hunt’s offensive production can continue in the face of defensive game plans tailored to stop him, Hunt could be a first-round sleeper.

Perry Jones
6-11, PF/C, Sophomore, Baylor
Some kids simply pass the NBA eye test, and that’s good enough to cement their high Lottery status. The 6-11 Jones is one of these individuals, which made his decision to stay in school for another season in spite of a looming five-game NCAA suspension for accepting impermissible benefits even more curious. It’s crazy to think of freshman numbers of 14 points and 7 rebounds as a disappointment, but Jones, who was widely labeled the top pro prospect in his class, failed to meet those lofty expectations. Growth from freshman to sophomore years is always the greatest, though, so expect a monstrous season from the Baylor star.

Terrence Jones
6-8, SF/PF, Sophomore, Kentucky
For the first two months of his freshman campaign, Terrence Jones looked like a Lamar Odom clone: a silky smooth southpaw forward with a deft handle, knack for finding open teammates and an ability to face up and beat defenders off the dribble or with a jumper. He was the Wildcats’ best player. But Jones gradually wore down and lost confidence as the season waned. He kicked off SEC play with 24- and 35-point outbursts versus Georgia and Auburn and wrapped it up with underwhelming consecutive 7-point performances. Expect more consistency from Jones, who will be a senior citizen on another baby-faced Kentucky team.

Kris Joseph
6-7, SF, Senior, Syracuse
There have been a few recent Syracuse players who have used the Dome as a premature launching pad to glory. Kris Joseph could easily have become the next Donte Green or Jonny Flynn, unquestionable talents who made questionable decisions to leave Central New York a year too early. Instead, Joseph has decided to enjoy extra time in orange. The Montreal-born small forward has steadily improved from an offensively limited sparkplug as a freshman to one of the most feared players in the Big East heading into his final season. Joseph’s second gear and athleticism make him one of college hoops’ truly frightening open-court matchups.

Doron Lamb
6-4, SG, Sophomore, Kentucky
Lamb is overshadowed on all fronts. He’s the “other Lamb” (not the one who won a national title last season) and the “other guy” on a Kentucky roster crowded with the flashy players Wildcat fans have come to expect. But Lamb was a McDonald’s All-American coming out of New York by way of Oak Hill Academy, and after a solid freshman season in which he lead the SEC with a blistering 48-percent mark from three-point range, his coach John Calipari labeled him the “best basketball player” on a team that has more than a few good ones. His game may be quieter than your average top-50 recruit, but don’t sleep on this Lamb.

Jeremy Lamb
6-5, SG, Sophomore, Connecticut
Kemba Walker was the best player on the floor for UConn during its title game win over Butler…but not by much. Jeremy Lamb, who capped off his surprising rookie season with a heady 12-point, 7-rebound performance in Houston, was right there with Walker. After a summer spent as the obvious go-to scorer on Team USA’s U-19 World Championship team, it’s clear that Lamb is the fastest rising star in the Big East. His cartoonish 7-1 wingspan and basketball instincts make him a prime candidate for NBA stardom as well.

CJ Leslie
6-9, SF/PF, Sophomore, North Carolina State
CJ Leslie was born to be an NBA player. A landmark recruit for NC State, Leslie possesses incredible length, uncanny versatility and jaw-dropping athleticism. During his freshman season, though, Leslie looked like a pro trying to play college ball. The rising sophomore knew he was easily the struggling Wolfpack’s most talented player and would try to do too much. Leslie’s potential makes him a first-round lock, but if he learns to use his abilities to make his less endowed teammates better, the Draft Lottery is his future.

Trevor Mbakwe
6-8, PF, Senior, Minnesota
Tubby Smith’s workhorse has taken a circuitous route to success (a transfer from Marquette and a felony assault charge that was eventually dropped but robbed him of a year of eligibility), but you have to figure that experience has shaped the player Mbakwe has become. Stats don’t lie, but they never express the full truth either. Mbakwe averaging a double double in a conference as rugged as the Big Ten is noteworthy, but the hustle plays the senior provides are potentially even more valuable to an NBA team. He has Nuggets’ 2011 first rounder Kenneth Faried’s motor with an even more advanced offensive skill set.

Khris Middleton
6-7, SG/SF, Junior, Texas A&M
Middleton has two things NBA evaluators will fall in love with: a beautiful stroke from pretty much every spot on the floor and the size to play his position at the next level. The junior has enough potential to advance way beyond this level, but James Jones—a nails shooter who is a smart, team basketball player—comes to mind as Middleton’s worst-case pro comparison. The Aggie needs to improve his strength if he wants to get to his spots and create his own shot in the pros, but Middleton has shown tremendous growth before, so there’s no reason to think he can’t do it again.

Andrew Nicholson
6-9, PF, Senior, St. Bonaventure
The best pro prospect in the Atlantic 10 is no longer an unknown. What people still don’t realize, though, is how impressive this guy truly is. For Nicholson to spit out averages of 21 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks while peering over double teams and battling through triple teams inspired by his lack of surrounding weapons is insane. St. Bonaventure should be proud of its finally rising program, but let’s not kid ourselves. Nicholson has resurrected this program from basement dweller to Tournament hopeful with very little help. That alone should earn Nicholson first-round consideration.

Thomas Robinson
6-9, PF, Junior, Kansas
This is the season we finally learn how good Thomas Robinson can be. Despite losing his mother and both grandparents within an unimaginable three-week span last winter, the DC native was admirably able to execute his role as one of the Jayhawks’ most reliable reserves. With the productive Morris twins off to the Association, Robinson will be counted on for much more than his 8-point sophomore average this season. His post footwork and skills need refinement, but as the only frontcourt holdover from the dominant Kansas teams of the past couple seasons, the explosive forward will be given every opportunity to be a go-to guy this season.

Terrence Ross
6-6, SG, Sophomore, Washington
In a Husky backcourt full of graceful and long-legged guards (Abdul Gaddy, Tony Wroten), sophomore guard Ross has the makings of a top dog. Lorenzo Romar didn’t ask much of Ross during his freshman season, but even in just 17 minutes per contest, it was clear why the kid was so coveted coming out of high school. If you were to use your favorite video game’s create-a-player option to build an NBA shooting guard, you would end up with Terrence Ross: ideal size, effortless leaper, confident jump shot and quickness to be an elite defender. Expect huge progression from Ross in his sophomore season.

Jared Sullinger
6-9, PF, Sophomore, Ohio State
On top of the larger-than- average heap of current college standouts sits a larger-than-average man. Sullinger should be a top-five selection whenever he leaves Ohio State. His footwork, feathery touch in the paint, ability to pass out of frequent double-teams and developing outside game make him an impossible matchup for 99 percent of college big men. He’ll rarely be the better athlete in a head-to-head NBA matchup, though, so he’ll have to learn how to better create scoring opportunities with positioning and craftiness.

Renardo Sidney
6-10, PF/C, Junior, Mississippi State
If the NBA Draft were conducted before the college season, the tantalizing Sidney would be in the thick of the crapshoot known as the second round. NBA teams watch over these players, especially the hyped ones like Sidney, from the time they can grab a 10-foot rim with two hands, so you know GMs are familiar with the Mississippi product’s baggage. Another turbulent season filled with shoddy play and ghastly immaturity might finally put an end to his NBA future. On the other hand, a breakthrough year will have scouts salivating over the size and skill that once made him a can’t-miss prospect.